Ancient genomes reveal complex population interactions in the middle Yellow River basin during the Late Neolithic period

Abstract

The middle reaches of the Yellow River in the Late Neolithic period were the frontier of cultural communication between the Central Plains and the northern steppe. The remarkable sites that emerged during this period, such as Taosi, Shimao, and Lushanmao, played important roles in the formation of early Chinese civilization. Here we report ancient genomic data from 8 individuals from the three sites. Population genetics analysis revealed that the ancestries of these individuals were mainly related to the Yangshao culture populations from the Central Plains, supplemented by Northeast Asian ancestry. We also found an individual who was a genetic outlier at the Lushanmao site who carried excess Northeast Asian ancestry and harbored a genetic background similar to that of the Hongshan culture population. These findings provide a more detailed picture of genetic interactions and population migrations in northern China of Late Neolithic period and suggest potential cross-regional population interactions.